Publishing Fundamentals
Publishing Fundamentals
While writing a manuscript may feel like a marathon in itself, its completion is not your book's finish line — it’s only an important mile marker. Publishing is a much larger and more involved journey, with some important decisions along its path.
While I’m not a publisher or literary agent and am not the top expert in how to navigate publication, this guide is intended to lay a basic roadmap and highlight key considerations as you move forward into this landscape.
First…
As with most big projects in life requiring considerable personal investment, before moving forward with publication, it’s important to have clarity around what your goals for the book actually are. Knowing why you want to publish — whether to build professional credibility, reach a specific audience, or leave a lasting legacy — will guide decisions in meaningful ways as you move forward.
Also...
While publishers, agents, and other third parties can provide important support, the author plays the ultimate role in shaping the book’s message, ensuring quality, actively promoting, and connecting with readers effectively. No matter what publishing formula you follow, as President Truman used to say, the buck stops with you.
Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing
Now to the nitty-gritty…
There are two paths for getting your book out into the world: traditional publishing and self-publishing. Each is distinct in its processes and outcomes.
In a nutshell:
In traditional publishing, the publisher essentially acts as an investor who sees potential in your book and commits to divert resources toward ensuring its success (i.e., its profitability). Because they have so much at stake in your book, they become a key decision maker in its publishing journey.
Meanwhile in self-publishing, the author retains all control and all profit... but also holds all of the responsibility for outcomes.
In a little more detail:
TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING involves seeking out a publishing house, either directly or through a literary agent. To be accepted by (or to even get in contact with) a major publishing house, an agent is required.
Agents do not get paid until you get paid. (If an agent asks for payment before landing you a book deal, run! They’re not a real agent.) They are therefore a great asset to you when negotiating a contract and can help you navigate the complexities of working with a publisher. However, because they don’t get paid upfront, agents are also highly selective.
To win over an agent and/or a publishing house, you’ll need a compelling book proposal with a strong manuscript (or partial manuscript) and ideally some authority in your field or an online following. Your USP (unique selling point) doesn’t need to follow one specific formula, but you do need to have one, and it will largely come from (1) your book concept and manuscript quality, and (2) your existing level of influence. The stronger each of these two factors are, the more competitive your book proposal will be.
Once a deal has been signed with a publisher, the publishing house will oversee your book’s editing, design, production, and distribution, leveraging their expertise and existing networks. They may also oversee marketing and PR, but the author will be expected to pull their weight in this area and remain deeply involved in promotion.
Your share of book sale profits is distributed through royalties defined in your contract with the publisher, from which an advance may be paid. Advances and royalty structures can vary considerably, especially for first-time authors.
On the whole, this path provides access to professional resources and a broader distribution network than self-publishers typically find but usually comes with less creative control for the author as well as a longer timeline to book launch.
SELF-PUBLISHING, on the other hand, offers full creative control and quicker turnaround times by allowing authors to independently manage production and distribution. But along with all freedom comes all responsibility: Authors must handle multiple production aspects (including editorial, design, and production), which can require considerable upfront investment as well as a steep learning curve. Authors are also wholly responsible for quality assurance and marketing/PR, bearing sole responsibility to market and distribute their work effectively.
Some high-quality resources exist to support the self-publishing journey. These come with an upfront cost but can effectively replace a traditional publisher’s in-house team. These services bring no guarantees, however, so choose with discretion when selecting someone to work with.
Most self-publishers rely heavily on online distribution and print-on-demand (POD) channels, like Amazon KDP and IngramSpark. By leveraging these channels, self-publishers eliminate the need to hold their own inventory, which reduces overhead and simplifies logistics. One trade-off, however, is that POD books almost never appear on physical bookstore shelves, unless special arrangements are made, and thus are sold more-or-less exclusively online.
In contrast to traditional publishing, self-publishers fully retain their book rights, and they also keep all book sale profits. Profit margins are therefore theoretically higher than they are for a traditionally published author but depend on distribution volume.
Between traditional publishing and self-publishing, there is no good option or bad option. They’re just different. Choosing the right path depends on your priorities, readiness to manage the publishing and distribution process, and long-term goals
Marketing & Promotion
I want to spend a little more time on the idea of marketing and promotion, because it’s an important one and tends to be underestimated. As any business builder knows, the idea “build it, and they will come” is totally, 100% dreamworld thinking. Many authors believe that if they simply write their book, readers will show just up. They won’t. Just because the book has made it to the shelf doesn’t mean anyone will buy it.
Regardless of whether you sign a book deal with a publisher or choose to self-publish on targeted distribution channels, there’s a lot of additional legwork that needs to be done in getting your title out there, requiring time, effort, and often financial investment.
There are infinite tactics and strategies for achieving this. Common approaches involve many of the following:
Book groups
Book reviews
Journalism, podcasts, & blogs
Press releases
Launch events
Speaking engagements or workshops
Professional channels
Email lists
Social media
Influencers & other partnerships
Paid advertising
Special sales promotions
It’s also essentially nonnegotiable that you’ll need a well-designed author website. The site can be simple but should be solid.
An intentional marketing plan and author brand strategy can bring cohesion and clarity to all of these efforts. If you don't have expertise in marketing and PR, it’s advisable to bring someone in who does, depending on your goals for the book. (This advice assumes that distribution volume — or total reach — is important to you, either for profit or impact.)
Also keep in mind that effective marketing is an ongoing practice. Clear messaging, consistent engagement, and authenticity are all key to building trust and encouraging word-of-mouth referrals to keep your book’s momentum going.
Common Myths & Misconceptions
The publishing world is surrounded by myths that can mislead an author. Here are a few dispelled…
“Self-publishing is easy/cheap.” Self-publishing requires significant investment of time and money toward editing, design, and especially, marketing to produce a professional and high-performing book. Under-investing in self-publishing tends to yield low distribution volume, representing reduced reach and revenue.
“Traditional publishing is always better quality.” Quality varies widely across both traditional and self-publishing; professional editing and production are key regardless of the path.
“Once the book is published, the work is done.” Marketing and promotion are ongoing and deeply involved efforts essential for success.
“Publishers take care of all marketing.” Traditional publishers do some marketing, but authors must actively engage in promoting their work, even when it's traditionally published.
Suggested Next Steps
Whether choosing traditional or self-publishing, editorial and design quality, production and distribution, and marketing and publicity should be specifically and strategically considered. Marketing/PR in particular is a big animal that must be addressed thoughtfully.
As a next step, I suggest exploring the specific considerations noted above. To learn more about traditional publishing, start researching publishing houses, literary agents, and book proposal resources. To learn more about self-publishing, start researching the tasks and activities required in each phase described here. In both cases, pay special attention to marketing and consider how you may begin building a platform and a marketing strategy now.
For more detail on the various roles involved in causing a book to succeed, check out this article: The Team Behind A Successful Book
*
